The Pointer Review

The Pointer is a 1939 Mickey Mouse cartoon. It is a very strong entry.

Mickey and Pluto are hunting quail, but the bear disrupts that hunt. This is one of those character-driven shorts in the series and I like those the most. This time, it focuses on Mickey himself and he has rarely been better portrayed than he was here. He’s very likable, but also a bit arrogant, he’s great with Pluto, but his scared scene with the bear is so well acted by Walt Disney himself in what is the standout moment of the cartoon.

It is one of the most talkative Mickey Mouse entries and I loved that. Pluto is also phenomenal and I really liked their relationship. The bear could have been better utilized and the first half is definitely too slow, but the second half is excellent and the animation is particularly strong with great background work. The forest is beautifully painted here.

The Pointer is a very good Oscar nominee with terrific animation and a fantastic emphasis on Mickey and his voice.